Fender '68 Custom Deluxe Reverb Reviews?

[Jonesie]

I got offered one of these in a trade, and I'm thinking I'm going to jump on it, but I'm just curious if anyone had any personal experience with it first. I've heard the issues with it (noise floor, ticking trem), but the ticking trem is just kind of an optical trem thing anyways, right? And the guy who I'd be trading with says that his has a lower noise floor than his Princeton. He had a tech install a Master Volume on the front panel, which doesn't bother me, as I trust the tech that he used.

Anyways, thoughts?

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

I only had the opportunity to play a Pro Reverb and a Vibro Champ Reverb from that series so far. So not of much help here. Sorry!
But if it‘s tech-tested - and you know/trust the tech - I‘d say you‘re good to go!

The idea of getting either a Princeton, a Deluxe or a Vibrolux of that series has been on my mind for more than a year now (best for me would probably be a Deluxe Reverb Head…taken the wattage and all)
I‘m probably gonna test a newly listed Princeton an hour drive from home tomorrow or on Monday.

What confuses me a bit is the Bassman „Custom“ voicing.
I always believed my Supersonic 60 (first series 2006/07) had a Tweed Bassman voicing but it was mentioned on the instruction-panel as either a 65 or 66 (Blackface/Silverface?) Bassman.

Do the 68 custom amps have the same voicing or are they indeed modeled after a 57 or 59 Tweed Bassman?

[Jonesie]

Do the 68 custom amps have the same voicing or are they indeed modeled after a 57 or 59 Tweed Bassman?

From what I can see it's just a different tone stack than the DR one, that's more Bassman influenced. It's still 6V6's, so I don't think it'll be pure bassman goodness.

[Scout]

I hope you’re not trading your Ampeg.

[Jonesie]

I hope you’re not trading your Ampeg.

That was the intention. The Ampeg just hasn't been doing it for me for a bit now. It's finnicky with pedals and guitars, honestly. It hates my LP. I'm just looking for the Fender clean + reverb thing. I'm loving my Marshall Origin 20 head that I got recently, and I think a Fender will be a good foil for it. I still have my Vox Night Train too, so that'll cover most of the bases.

[jthomas]

Hi. I bought one of these as a floor demo from a music store for $750, on Reverb and I really love it. A great amp in IMO. My hearing is not what it once was, but any hiss from my amp seems to be minimal and equivalent to my other amps. The 68 DR custom is a great "circuit board" based amp in my opinion. I am not a cork-sniffer and enjoy about any amp that brings my guitars to life (e.g., I like my Blues Jr-III despite prevailing opinions about "boxiness") so I am not the most critical person on the forum.

Psionic audio's YouTube videos regarding the background hum are less positive, as noted below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih9FFZ9gwxs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wQETPMcjAU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MhVaGsnoeo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOAk2eWYOlA

[andy_tchp]

I was not a fan at all compared to the '65 Reissue' models.

I would look elsewhere if you are wanting the more traditional blackface Fender clean + reverb thing.

[Scout]

I just finished up my M-15 Ampeg, I guess I have a thing for offbeat amps. I'm surprised that you can't get a good tone from yours.
It's not the Fender tone for sure though you might be better served with an older one if you can swing it. Someone is trading that one
for a reason, I reckon, it takes a good tech to work on the new ones and even then there could be issues.